This study examined perceptions of training, supervision, consultation, services provided, and role satisfaction among program personnel (N = 93) providing assistance to children, adults, and families affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita through the Louisiana Spirit Specialized Crisis Counseling Services (SCCS) Program. Findings indicated that there was uniform high satisfaction with the training, supervision, and consultation, which included the skills-based intervention, Skills for Psychological Recovery, provided by the SCCS Practice Directorate that included staff from Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, and the National Center for PTSD. Counselors also made high ratings of their perceptions of the helpfulness of services to survivors and overall satisfaction with their work. The vast majority of counselors, who had themselves been seriously affected by the hurricanes, indicated that their own hurricane-related experiences and losses were extremely helpful to them in relating to survivors and providing services. Fully 90% indicated that they had significantly benefited professionally from their work and would be interested in providing SCCS services in the event of another disaster. Provider perceptions of personal strengths derived from the hurricanes were associated with high levels of SCCS program satisfaction and conversely, difficulties providing SCCS services were associated with lower levels of program satisfaction. Multiple regression analyses indicated that provider's perceived negative impact of the hurricane on survivors predicted increased perceived helpfulness of SCCS provider trainings and services to survivors.

Psychological interventions have typically utilized the traditional face-to-face office visit with clients. Although this strategy has proven to be effective (Simpson, Bell, Knox, & Mitchell, 2005), an emerging trend is to offer alternative approaches to therapeutic interventions (Schmidt, 1998). The current study considers the merits and shortcomings of Web-based interventions via synchronous videoconferencing (SVC) with families of children with a traumatic brain injury. Recent research suggests that family therapy offered via SVC has the potential for the delivery of family-based therapy. When using SVC, client readiness to address issues coupled with patience with the imperfection of the technology proved to be important factors. Other factors included the diagnosis and readiness to address identified problems in the context of SVC.

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